1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to displays and, more specifically, the present invention comprises the combination of laser etching an image in a translucent material, such as glass and acrylic, and illuminating said etched image by means of track-like lighting within a housing designed to engage some portion of the material edge of the etched article including encompassing the periphery of the etched article regardless of shape.
The track housing incorporates a cavity for receiving the article(s) to be illuminated by a any suitable illuminable element, such as LEDs or fiber optics capable of generating light particles that are emitted to travel through the translucent material edgewise creating a unique method of illuminating laser etched images.
Varying the LED array or color of the illuminable elements within the housing and/or layering articles to be illuminated or portioning the article receptacle to receive a plurality of articles to be illuminated edgewise are variations of the process of edgewise illumination provided for within the scope of the present invention, including the aforementioned encompassing the article to be illuminated throughout the periphery thereby providing even distribution of light throughout the etched material and defining the shape as amorphous, limited only to the creativity of the designer.
The electrical power source for the illuminable elements can be either AC or DC and the light housing can be free standing, as well as incorporate means for fastening to horizontal or vertical surfaces with the illuminated article(s) depending therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other etched materials designed for display. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,130 issued to Falkenberg on Nov. 30, 1965.
Another patent was issued to Layne on Mar. 31, 1992 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,592. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,170 was issued to Plamp et al. on Oct. 19, 1993 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 20, 1998 to Weissleder as U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,898.
Another patent was issued to Nerlino et al. on Jul. 4, 2000 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,880. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,796 was issued to Rath et al. on Jul. 3, 2001. Another was issued to Abrams et al. on Apr. 8, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,634 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 9, 2003 to Wadman et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,541.
Another patent was issued to Lewis et al. on Jan. 6, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,738. Yet another U.K. Patent No. GB2094622 was issued to Chiang on Sep. 22, 1982. Another was published to Jacob on May 1, 2003 as International Patent Application No. WO03/036159.